OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) – Lake Merritt is often called the gem of Oakland. It’s home to the nation’s first and oldest bird sanctuary. It’s also home to at least 65 homeless people.
As a solution, the city is opening 20 community cabins, or ‘tuff sheds’, that will house 40 people at the Henry Kaiser Convention Parking lot. This is the third such community to be built in Oakland.
“I’ve moved around two times around here before I got to this spot and I just don’t really have another place to go,” said Andrew Flory.
Photo by James Frid from Pexels
The city of Oakland says the homeless encampments are having a detrimental impact on the environment around the lake.
“We’re seeing human waste, garbage, needles that are getting pulled out of the lake by our volunteers every day,” said Joe DeVries, assistant to the Oakland City Administrator.
As a solution, the city is opening 20 community cabins, or ‘tuff sheds’, that will house 40 people at the Henry Kaiser Convention Parking lot. This is the third such community to be built in Oakland.
Over the next couple of weeks, those camping out around the lake will gradually be given 7 to 10 days’ notice to leave. Then they’ll be invited to move in those sheds the first week of October. After that, Lake Merritt becomes a closed zone where encampments will be prohibited.
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Alex
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No offense but they are going to put them around a lake? California really has no sense. That will discourage tourists from going to the lake. A lot of homeless are more undesirable. Not all. A majority are. Means drugs around as well. Oh, it is Oakland. Guess that place is exempt. The idea is a good one. Our Gov don’t think with their brains. There is land in other places to do this.
Sheebe, If you read the article, they are moving them from homeless encampments along the lake to the tuff sheds located at the Henry Kaiser Convention parking lot. After the homeless are moved out, they will not allow any more encampments along the lake.
Uh, California has made many questionable choices but you do understand the homeless are already living around the lake and have been for a long time?
They’re actually going to be prohibiting encampments around the lake with this… They’re giving the choice to either live in the controllable shed community or they can’t be by the lake anymore…